Bihar will vote on October 28, November 3 and 7 for a new government.
Patna:
The masks will be essential for attending political rallies in Bihar, which is preparing to hold assembly elections later this month, the state government has said. In a set of guidelines issued by the Home Office, masks were made mandatory at all indoor and outdoor gatherings with a ceiling of 200 people in closed rooms and six feet of social distancing.
The leaders were asked to avoid hugging or shaking hands and the organizers were asked to ensure the availability of paper towels and a good sanitation of the premises.
The Electoral Commission, meanwhile, doubled the airtime allocated to recognized political parties in Bihar on Doordarshan and All India Radio in the upcoming state assembly polls due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased importance of the “contactless” campaign.
Each recognized national and regional party will benefit from a base time of 90 minutes. The facilities will be available from the regional center of All India Radio and Doordarshan and relayed by other stations in Bihar, he said.
The extra time to be allotted to a party was decided on the basis of its poll results in the last Bihar Assembly election in 2015.
“A base time of 90 minutes will be given to each national party and recognized state party in Bihar uniformly on the regional kendra network of Doordarshan and on the All India Radio network in Bihar,” the commission said.
No party will be allocated more than 30 minutes in a single broadcast session.
The dissemination period will be between the last date of submission of candidatures and two days before the date of the poll in Bihar.
The state will go to the polls in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7. The recount will take place on November 10.
“The Prasar Bharati Corporation, in consultation with the Commission, will decide the actual date and time of the broadcast and the televising. This will be subject to the great technical constraints governing the actual time of transmission available with the Doordarshan and All India Radio, ”the poll told me.
Parties will be required to submit transcripts and recordings in advance.
“In addition to the broadcasting by the parties, the Prasar Bharati Corporation will organize a maximum of four round tables and / or debates on the Kendra / Doordarshan Station / All India Radio. Each eligible party may nominate a representative for such a program,” said the commission.
Bihar will vote on October 28, November 3 and 7 for a new government and the results will be announced on November 10.
(With PTI entries)
